


(reggie's jam)

by cori_the_bloody



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Is that really so much to ask?, Post-Season/Series 01, i just want endless content of the fated bandmates performing music together, or being about to perform music together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:20:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29145093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cori_the_bloody/pseuds/cori_the_bloody
Summary: “We have this thing we do,” Luke says, thumbing absentmindedly at the thick E string on his guitar.“Whenever one of us is wigging out about a performance,” Alex says.And Luke continues, “Or is, like, sad or not feeling something…”“We sing a little song,” Reggie finishes. “Worries-b-gone.”Julie raises her eyebrows. “Must be some song.”
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters
Comments: 21
Kudos: 107





	(reggie's jam)

“Whoa,” Luke says as he pops up beside Julie backstage at the Satellite. “It’s like someone’s making a band smoothie in here.”

Normally, something that patently ridiculous coming out of Luke’s mouth would make Julie smile, but right now—surrounded by acts with more experience and better wardrobes, who can actually hang out with their bandmates without constantly wondering if they look insane—she barely manages a stiff imitation of one.

“Hey,” he says, noticing. “They wouldn’t have invited us to do this showcase if they didn’t think we were good.”

She nods, because that is objectively true. And, really, she should be thrilled right now, because this is their first gig post-Orpheum and she never actually had to come up with a story for why Julie and the Phantoms suddenly became Julie sans Phantoms so this is a joyous occasion and she should be smiling. Why can’t she make her mouth smile??

Alex and Reggie pop up on either side of Luke.

“Holy moly,” Alex says, taking in the chaos.

“Me, oh my,” Reggie agrees, his eyes immediately landing on an unfairly attractive twosome doing vocal warmups in the corner.

“Guys.” Luke nudges them, and then nods at Julie.

She tries not to look like she’s about to puke, but judging by the sympathetic shimmer in Alex’s eyes and Reggie’s over-the-top pout, she does not do a good job.

“You’re nervous,” Alex says.

She looks down at her wringing hands and answers in a low voice, “Intimidated, I guess.”

“You know what you need?” Reggie asks.

She glances up at him with a shrug.

“To get out of your own head.”

Luke grabs Reggie’s shoulders and gives him a shake. “Dude, you’re a genius!”

Reggie smiles. “I know. It’s ‘cause I’m _never_ in my own head.”

“I don’t—” Alex starts to say, but then he shakes his head, dropping it. “Okay.”

Julie jabs Luke in the stomach: a demand for elaboration.

“Just you wait,” he tells her, and then summons his acoustic guitar with a flourish. “You’re gonna love this.”

Alex’s eyes light up in recognition, but he grabs onto the neck, his hand covering Luke’s before he has the chance to start playing. “Probably not here. We don’t want to give anyone a heart attack.”

“That’s why we keep you around,” Luke says, bopping Alex on the nose. “Always thinking.” He takes off skipping for the door, passing through several performers and stagehands as he goes.

Alex wrinkles his nose like he’s trying to dislodge the feeling of Luke’s finger and then follows after him, grumbling to himself and carefully avoiding everyone in the space.

Julie casts a confused look at Reggie.

He grins, grabbing onto her hand. “Trust us.”

She nods, letting him lead her out of the building.

They end up out in the parking lot, which is not exactly private but still far less cramped than backstage. They may get funny looks if the guys appear out of thin air, but at least they’re not likely to induce a medical emergency.

“Whaddya think, boss?” Luke asks Alex, coming to a stop beside a parked Jeep.

“Yeah,” Alex says, glancing around. “Here’s good.”

“Is someone gonna clue me into what’s happening?” Julie asks, keeping her voice low even as she lets her annoyance blare.

“We have this thing we do,” Luke says, thumbing absentmindedly at the thick E string on his guitar.

“Whenever one of us is wigging out about a performance,” Alex says.

And Luke continues, “Or is, like, sad or not feeling something…”

“We sing a little song,” Reggie finishes. “Worries-b-gone.”

Julie raises her eyebrows. “Must be some song.”

The guys exchange a look. And then Luke starts to play.

She’s already feeling the jaunty guitar, standing a little straighter all of a sudden, when Alex starts using his chest as a drum. She lets out a surprised laugh.

He nods at her, and that’s all the encouragement she needs to, after studying him for a measure, join in, slapping her thighs in time with Alex doing the same.

Reggie comes in with crisp, bright vocals a few beats later. “ _Are you, are you ready_?”

Luke nods emphatically, and then sings a line back. “ _Have been for years_.”

“ _We’re goin’ on_ ,” Reggie sings, “ _we’re goin’ on steady_!”

Alex winks at her before responding, “ _So shrug off those fears_.”

They all vocalize together for a line, _whoa ohh_ ing their lungs out, before Reggie breaks off with a “ _This band’s on blast_.”

When they repeat the _whoa ohh_ s, Julie jumps in, smiling even before she catches Luke’s eye and sees his excitement. Boy does love a harmony.

“Second verse, same as the first,” he tells her, speaking over his strumming.

Julie nods, more than ready to respond _have been for years_ along with Luke and Alex after Reggie sings his _are you, are you ready_?

Feeling looser by the four count, she even adds some on-the-nose dancing to their line _so shrug off those fears_. The guys all mirror her, so then by the time they get back to the _whoa ohh_ s, they’re dancing in a circle, Julie clapping and Reggie doing a full-body wiggle and Luke spinning around and Alex bobbing his head on the off-beats.

To top off the number, Luke starts scatting, and Julie can no longer hold in her laughter. It bursts out of her like a firework.

Once she manages to catch her breath again, she raises her eyebrows at Reggie. “On blast?”

“Yeah,” Reggie says. “You know, like a stereo turned up all the way, on full blast.”

“That is not how most people my age think about that word.”

“We’re people your age,” Reggie protests.

“Sure,” she says, “plus, like, two and a half decades.”

“Okay,” Alex says, “but have you considered that the song’s for nobody but us? So screw your youths.”

Julie scoffs. “Hey! I’m one of those youths!”

He shrugs an I Said What I Said shrug. “Shouldn’t have criticized our song.”

She looks to Luke for help and he just gives her a rueful smile. “Think you’re outnumbered here.”

“Fine. _On blast_ it is,” she says, and then mimes zipping her brain shut like a pencil case. Make that _deeply regrets_ miming zipping her brain shut like a pencil case.

The guys laugh at her expression, and then Alex cuffs her lightly on the arm. “We change it every time.”

“Sure,” she says, throwing up her hands. “Now you tell me.”

“And we get turns taking lead,” Luke explains. “So obviously you’re gonna have to blow us away with your improv next time.”

“Or else we’ll never let you live it down,” Alex says.

Julie pouts.

“It’s only fair,” Reggie says, reaching out to give her earlobe a tug. “You started it.”

She swats him away, but she’s unable to hold back her remorseless snicker.

“Feeling ready to go back in there?” Luke asks, nodding at the venue.

Julie glances over her shoulder at the building before turning back to the guys. “I am,” she says, all grounded and certain. “But maybe let’s sing it again anyway?”

Luke’s responding smile is thirty percent tongue, and Julie has no choice but to grin back.

###

She thinks she does pretty well for her first stab at this worries-b-gone song. After all, her nerves are a million years away when Reggie lets out a delighted peal of laughter at her _this band’s a snack_ chorus as, at the same time, Alex groans his disgust. In their place is the happy glow of _home_.


End file.
